Bug Fung

[sloth]

Most frequent in the south east, I think around Colchester is a national hit spot of sorts. They're certainly getting more scarce, habitat loss I guess, as they live as larvae in rotting stumps and roots for several years before emerging as beetles to mate then die within a few weeks...

[David Humphries]

......Getting back on track, are these beetles to be found across the country. I've never seen another apart from the one in London?

 

Concur with Kev, that they are pedominantly in the south east with London being a bit of a hotspot.

 

I have concerns that Cyberdine Systems have been quietly creating a new series T-800

 

 

.

[sloth]

Come on David, you can't post a pic like that without an explanation!

[David Humphries]

Come on David, you can't post a pic like that without an explanation!

 

Not something I've been involved with Kev, but I saw a presentation on research here in the UK and Germany a few years ago on radio tracking males to monitor their migration patterns.

 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ulrich_Sinsch/publication/229790333_Radio-telemetric_monitoring_of_dispersing_stag_beetles_Implications_for_conservation/links/5592afa808ae1e9cb4297048/Radio-telemetric-monitoring-of-dispersing-stag-beetles-Implications-for-conservation.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

.

[sloth]

Sounds interesting, link doesn't work on my phone though, have to try the laptop later...

[openspaceman]

 

I had none in the garden last season so fingers crossed for this year.

 

Look what I just found on the kitchen floor.

 

[ATTACH]221719[/ATTACH]

 

I'm so pleased, I knew we had some about as I found a grub in the debris under the log stack (I often wonder how they survive once disturbed after I bury them under a bit of wood)

[sloth]

Excellent. I had a small male land under a chair by me in the old folks home when I was visiting on Sunday, that fairly freaked them out. What surprised me was in a room of ten 'with it' visitors/staff, plus the residents in various states of dementia, no one knew what it was! Brightened up the old folks day a little though wandering around and talking about it, I can't imagine being in their position...

[Nikk]

Nice looking beetles, never had the pleasure to see a live one ! Only ever seen pictures of them

[openspaceman]

Nice looking beetles, never had the pleasure to see a live one ! Only ever seen pictures of them

 

They are getting rare and only a few places in the south.

 

Unfortunately here in surrey whilst we have lots of trees most gardens are kept too tidy ( nd hence lots of work for arborists and gardeners). Nowadays if a tree gets felled the stump also gets ground out, I used to associate stag beetles with old lime stumps and as a school boy would be sure to find them every year.

 

Along with cuckoos, slow worms and hedgehogs they're becoming part of the past.

 

Another shot

 

[ATTACH]221731[/ATTACH]

 

I really must see if I'm able to focus stack with macros of this mobile phone to get the whole bug sharp.

[sloth]

Haven't seen a slow worm for years, or a grass snake come to think of it...